Protective pad for athletic shoes



m Aug 7, l95l F. vlETAs PROTECTIVE PAD FOR ATHLETIC SHOES Filed Jan. 27, 1949 Patented Aug. 7, 1951 VUNITED vSTATES PATENT oFl-lc Frank Vietas, Bedford, Mass., assignor to A. R. Hyde & SonswCompany, Cambridge, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application January 2.7, 1949, Serial No. 73,035

1 This invention relates to a protective pad to be attached to the rear portion of the upper of 'an athletic shoe so as to project up above the top of the upper and be in position to protect the Achilles tendon when the shoe with the pad is being Worn. It is an object of the invention to provide a protective pad which is effective as a protective device, which is comfortable when being worn and which will not interfere with the freedom of ankle flexing of the wearer. The pad embodying the invention is characterized by protective layers of felt and canvas to provide a strong cushion, and lines of stitching arranged to stiffen the pad vertically but to permit a limited hinge movement about a horizontal axis not far from the lower edge of the pad. The pad is also adapted to be fastened to the upper of the shoe by short vertical lines of stitching which do not weaken the shoe at any point of special stress.

For a more complete understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following description thereof and to the drawing, of which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a hockey shoe having attached thereto a pad embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a section on the line 2--2 of Figure 1; f fi Figure 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Figure l;

Figure 4 i5 a rear elevational view of the Dad shown in Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Figure 4.

The protective pad l0 shown on the drawing is composed of several layers. Preferably there is an inner layer l2 of felt and an inner layer I4 of `canvas in face to face engagement with the felt. A cover layer I8 on the front or inside surface of the pad is preferably of thin soft leather. this being the cover layer which is next to the shoe and stocking of the wearer. A cover layer I8 on the rear or outer face of the pad is preferably of soft leather somewhat thicker than the leather in the layer I6, but other equivalent materials can be used for these cover layers.

As shown in Figure 4, the pad as a whole is substantially rectangular in shape. the long axis being vertical. A deep notch is formed in each side edge of the pad, these notches being directly opposite each other on a line substanf` tially more than half way down from the top of the pad. The pad is provided with vertical lines of stitching 22 which extend from the top edge of the pad down to the level of the notches 20 and define a` series of vertical panels `24. When the stitching is being done, the felt is strongly compressed along the lines of stitches by vthe presser foot of the machine andthe stitches maintain the compression along such lines, as indicated in Figures 2, 3 and 5. The stitching thus serves to provide a certain amount of stiffness to the pad as a whole. This stiiness is preferably augmented by quilt stitching 26 on the middle one of the series of panels 24. As shown in Figure 4, the quilt stitchingl is in the form of crossed zigzag lines but any other suitable equivalent design can be employed.

At the lower ends of the vertical panels 2l two closely spaced horizontal lines of stitching 28 extend across the pad from one notch 20 to the other. These horizontal lines of stitching have the effect of making the pad somewhat flexible on the horizontal axis defined by these lines. In other words, the narrow horizontal area 30 acts as an axis of flexing between the portion of the pad above the notches 20 and the smaller portion 32 of the pad below the notches 2B. Quilt stitching 34 is preferably provided on most of the area o1' the portion 32. This portion has its lower corners beveled as at 36 forming lateral wings 38 by which the pad may conveniently be attached to a shoe upper, the felt being preferably omitted in these wings. As indicated in Figure 1, short vertical lines of stitching 40 may be employed to tack the wings 3B to the upper of the shoe, the pad being arranged so that the lower edge of the pad comes substantially on a level with the top of the counter stiifener 42 of the shoe. Thus the back of the foot and leg it provided with continuous protection from the heel of the shoe up to the top of the pad I0.

Any suitable means may be employed to hold the upper portion of the pad against the leg. For this purpose, the laces of the shoe may be passed through a pair of eyelets M mounted near the side edges of the pad, the end portions being brought forward and tied in the usual iiaiiner at 46. This secures not only the shoev but also the protective pad in place. The horizontal hinge element 30 thus comes just above the level of the ankle so that exing of the foot at the ankle is not interfered with.

It is to be understood that the inventionis not limited to the precise form and materials herein described, but may be varied within the scope dened by the following claims.

I claim:

15A protective pad for attachment to an athletic shoe, comprising a layer of felt, a layer -of canvas, Airontand. backcover layers, spacedavertical lines of 'stitching through alli said layers forming a series of vertical 4panels extending from the top of the pad more than half way to* the bottom thereof, two closely, spaced horizontal. lines of stitching extending across said pad' at' the lower ends of said panels', andai nctchinieacht. side edge of the pad in line=witli^ saidhorizontah'- lines of stitching.

2. A protective `pad for attachment Ato; arr-.atli-r.;

letic shoe, comprising a layer of felt, a layeroi canvas, a cover layer of thin soft leather'orrthep inner face thereof, a 'cover layer of thicker leather4 on the outer face thereof', vertical lines of? stitching: through'.` all, said-lY layersf forming; a; seriesM of vertical' panels extending. from". the.v top thereofmorethan haii wayv .to the bottom', quiltA stitching: on` the middle -panel ofi said? series, two closely`4 spaced horizontal lines* ofV stitching ex` tending across-saidipad at:tlie lowerv ends of said panels', quilt stitching on the area'below'saidfhorizontal stitching, and anotchdn ea'chfsideedge' of the Apad. in linefwith said yhorizontal` stitching.

y 3; In combinationwith anf athleticl shoe hav`VA ingfanlupper and af counter-stiiiener, a protec-y tive" padl comprisingfa layer ofrA fel-t',` a layer ofv per with the lower edge of the pad approximately' on a level with the top of said counter stiiener, and an eyelet neareach side edge of said upper `portion ofthe" pad" adapted to receive the shoe laces-wherebyto: hold the upper portion of the .q padia'gains-t thelegfof the wearer.

n ,Y FRANK VIETAS.

, `REI?ERENCES CITED lTheifollowing references are of record in the file of' this patent: l

Ul\IITli1 D STATESA BATENTS Numhen Name. Date '759;83'3'1 Stahl f ss. i l May- V10,- "1904y 1,1'84g868'l Pierce f i May V30;- 19:15 137828705 Kauffinari v f May-24`, 192`-1 154861308 -snnokf Mar-:f 111",V 1924' 115872508"- Cea-ts- 1 Jiiric`l8,l 1926C v1;'75`4,fi66-` Bishop Apr-'.1'5',-19'30 2,398,8022 Morris' j r 1 Apr.- 2'3, `1946 RIGN' i Number Country; Datei 4 canvas and covering layers of soft leather, said pad having an upper portion and a lower portion defined by a pair of opposed V notches in the side edges thereof, the upper portion having a substantially greater height than the lower portion and having spaced vertical lines of stitching forming a series of vertical panels, said lower portion having quilt stitching extending over the major portion thereof, two horizontal lines of stitching extending across the pad from one said notch to the other forming a narrow horizontal panel between said upper and lower portions, a linev of.. stitching along eagchasicle-` edgeof said liwer portion attaching. saidpad to'said-shoe up- Great Britain ...fi-: .iwljed 30', 1935 

